Shoe-fastening



(No Model.)

W. M. MAXSON.

SHOE FASTENING.

No. 346,119. Patented July 27, 1886.

N. PETERS. PhobLlthugmphur. Washingon. D. C.

- align with the tongues 6.

UNIT D STATES PATENT OFFICE.

W'ILLIAM M. MAXSON, OF AKRON, OHIO.

'SHOE-FASTENING.

SPECIPICATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 346,119, dated July 27, 1886,

Applicaiion filed April 28, 1886. Serial No. 200,463. (No model.)

To (LZZ whont it may concern.-

Be it known that I, VVILLIAM M. llIAXSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Akron, in the county of Summit and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Shoe-Fastenings, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to an improvement in shoe-fastenings; and it consists in the peculiar construction and combination of devices that will be more fully set forth hereinafter, and particularly pointed out in the claim.

In the drawings, Figure l is a perspective view of a portion of a shoe provided with my improved fastenings. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse section taken on the line 00 w of Fig. 1. Fig. 4is a detailperspective view of one of the loops D.

The meeting edges of the flaps of the shoe, at the outer sides thereof, are provided with parallel strips of leatherA, the central portions of which are sewed or otherwise secured to the flaps, as at B, leaving the outer edges of the said strips free throughout the entire length of the strips.

0 represents a tongue or strap, the lower end of which is secured to the upper of the shoe in below the meeting edges of the flaps,

and the said tongue or strap is passed through a series of loops, D, the said loops being secured to the strap at suitable regular intervals. These loops are each formed from a single piece of metal or other suitable material, and have an opening, I), on one side to receive the strap or tongue, and are provided on their opposite sides at their ends with inwardly-extending tongues e. From the cen ter of each loop, in a line with the inwardly extending tongues 6, projects a stud,'f, the outer end of which is provided with laterallyextending tongues or projections g, which By this construction openings h are formed on the lower side of each loop to receive the strips A on the flaps, the free edges a of the said strips extending into the notches t, formed between the lower side of the loop and the tongues e and g.

The operation of myinvention is as follows:

In order to unfasten the shoe, the loops B are moved downwardly on the strips A, causing the tongue or strap to be gathered on the lower ends of the strips A, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2, thereby unfastening the flaps and permitting the shoe to be freely withdrawn from the foot. In order to fasten the shoe, it is only necessary to catch hold of the upper end of the strap or tongue and draw it upwardly to the position shown in solid lines in Fig. 2, thus enabling the flaps to be instantaneously secured together.

A shoe-fastening thus constructed is cheap and simple, is very strong and durable, and enables the shoe to be fastened or unfastened instantaneously.

I am aware that it has been heretofore proposed to provide a shoe with astrip or welt of leather on each edge of the opening, and a tongue or strap having divided rings or loops rigidly attached to the same and engaging the said welts or strips, and this I disclaim. My invention differs from this in that I provide the loops or rings with openings, through which the draw-strap ortongueis passed, thus avoiding the necessity of having to sew the said loops or rings to the strap, and adapting the loops or rings to slide thereon.

Having thus described my invention, I claim- The combination, in a shoe-fastening, of the strap having one end secured to the shoe below the meeting edges of the flaps, the strips A, having their longitudinal central portions secured to the flaps near the meeting edges thereof, and the loops D, having the openings b, to receive the strap, and provided with the projecting tongues e and g, for engaging with the free edges of the strips A, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

\VILLIAM M. MAXSON.

lVitnesses:

F. M. ATTERHOLT, HENRY TUCKER. 

